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As they enter the training circle at Curves, female guests come face-to-face with the smiles of other women. And just as points on a circle share a common distance from the circle's center, workout participants share the experiences of those nearby by trading stations throughout the 30-minute training session. One minute is spent on a piece of strength-training equipment built for feminine frames and designed to work two opposing muscle groups with a single movement. Exercisers then move on to a recovery station, where they run, jog, or dance to maintain heart rates and keep platforms in place during momentary losses of gravity.

Sand-volleyball courts. Indoor pools. Cycling studios. At Fitness Works Athletic Clubs' four area locations, kids and adults alike caper about a dumbfounding landscape of fitness frills. The instructors lead a wide variety of Les Mills and Zumba group classes designed to work every muscle group. Exercisers can improve their lung capacity during BodyAttack or hone their flexibility during BodyFlow, which draws from yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. Although amenities vary by location, they all include cardio and strength-training equipment, steam and sauna rooms equipped with aromatherapy add-ons, and indoor heated saltwater pools relatively free of saltwater sharks. While adults burn calories, kids can mingle in the Kid Zone, engaging in arts and crafts or educational and fitness activities.

The instructors at Living Stone Yoga are dedicated to assist students in their yoga experience. During a variety of yoga classes including ashtanga, hatha flow, vinyasa, and yin, groups move between poses, linking their breaths with the flow of movement, but they also hold postures for three to five minutes to gain strength and open connective tissues. They so believe in the power of precise alignment, that they even offer a unique wall yoga class, during which, students use an innovative piece of equipment that is based on an iyengar system. Great for all types of yogis, this class helps students to build strength, flexibility, and body awareness by practicing inversions while attached to the wall with a harness and belt, allowing them to hold poses not possible on the mat. And, to really help students understand the benefits of a peaceful time-out, they also offer restorative yoga classes where students relax into poses that promote active relaxation. For those students who are interested in furthering their relaxation, Living Stone yoga offers monthly meditation events as well.

After studying under Bikram Choudhury, the father of Bikram yoga, Sumit Banerjee decided to bring the heat to his own class style?an amalgam of Bikram- and Ashtanga-inspired postures. The Sumits Yoga signature class steers students through deep stretches performed in a toasty studio. Aided by the heat, these movements help students hone both balance and strength.
Though Sumit champions the physical benefits of the practice?muscle toning, detoxification, and the ability to someday fry an egg on one's forehead?the true object of his style is ?the simple pleasure and self-reward that comes from quieting our minds." To honor this, he emphasizes introspection and spiritual awareness over perfect technique, allowing guests of any experience level to participate. Kids' yoga is also available.

Gilbert Yoga is a community of teachers and students who have come together to explore a variety of yoga styles. The studio's classes reach out to people of all ages?including those still in the womb, thanks to a specialized class in prenatal yoga. Fluid ashtanga vinyasa sessions incorporate breathing and dynamic poses, while restorative yoga uses gentle movement and props to unlock and and unwind the body. In addition to its public classes, the studio runs teacher-training programs for those interested in passing yoga's many mental and physical benefits on to others.